The Donald Bren Foundation
The Donald Bren Foundation is a private foundation, based in Newport Beach, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $386.8M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $7.0M. Net investment income was $50.6M.
The Donald Bren Foundation at a glance
In short: The Donald Bren Foundation gave $7.0M across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $3.5M), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $7,019,866
- -23.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 2
- -33.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,509,933
- +14.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,509,933
- Total assets
- $386,757,114
- +16.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Donald Bren Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was California Institute of Technology ($6.9M). Together the top 2 received $7.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
15 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was $5M or more: 5 grants of 15 (33%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Donald Bren Foundation gives
- Giving fell 23% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 44% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $7.0M (2025) to $11.5M (2021). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $7.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE RECIPIENT ORGANIZATION.. Description: 33,984 shares Apple Inc. Book value: $622,635.43. Method used to determine the book value: specific identification. Method used to determine the FMV: JP Morgan bank statements. Date of the contribution: 6/25/2025 | $6,869,866 |
| Milken Institute Santa Monica, CA | To support the mission of the recipient organization | $150,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $386,757,114 | $55,943,667 | $6,301,938 | $7,019,866 | 2 | $7,047,349 | $50,634,571 | $16,020,813 |
| 2024 | $332,553,263 | $2,894,806 | $10,545,518 | $9,191,871 | 3 | $9,224,139 | $2,881,037 | $14,041,513 |
| 2023 | $260,599,375 | $8,714,805 | $3,249,032 | $10,558,602 | 2 | $10,593,529 | $3,277,548 | $11,553,499 |
| 2022 | $218,231,077 | $5,501,906 | $929,438 | $9,119,575 | 3 | $9,144,577 | $3,133,700 | $11,370,399 |
| 2021 | $257,508,640 | $5,868,318 | $2,792,722 | $11,459,626 | 5 | — | $3,085,900 | $11,143,871 |
| 2020 | $196,667,947 | $-1,305,912 | $2,933,964 | $9,627,287 | 3 | — | $3,353,441 | $8,109,264 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Donald Bren Foundation reported a distributable amount of $16.0M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Donald Bren Foundation is led by Donald Bren, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Donald Bren
President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brigitte Bren
Director
On filings since 2022
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hunter Bren
Director
On filings since 2024
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gino Bianchini
Secretary
Secretary & Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Rodibaugh
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2022
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Stephen Ward (2020–2021) — Chief Financial Officer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Donald Bren Foundation
How much does The Donald Bren Foundation give each year?
The Donald Bren Foundation gave $7.0M across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $9.2M across 3 grants.
How large is The Donald Bren Foundation?
The Donald Bren Foundation reported $386.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $16.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
Where does The Donald Bren Foundation operate?
The Donald Bren Foundation has awarded grants in California, Idaho, Virginia.
What is The Donald Bren Foundation's EIN?
The Donald Bren Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4094426. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 17, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 11, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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